Survey

Thank you for taking our brief survey!

Individuals: Take this survey if you are a practitioner and/or interested in Buddhism.

Centers: Take this survey if you work or volunteer at a Buddhist, or Buddhist related center or temple.

Jaala

Jaala is an app connecting Buddhist practitioners of all traditions. Come to Jaala to find information about practice centers and traditions, meditation, flash meditations, friends, and volunteering opportunities. Jaala is easy to use whether you are working in a practice center, with a sangha, temple, or zendo. Jaala users are interested in connecting to the larger Buddhist community.

Our project provides practice centers with an easy way to offer needed information to mobile devices and web browsers, they can connect with their existing community and expand outward to new members.

Jaala provides individuals with a remarkably easy way to get the information they need via the app available on Apple and Android. Further, individuals can promote their own events such as flash meditations and community outreach, to name a few.

A MVP of the app is complete.

Big Lotus...

The Big Lotus is a New York City based non-profit organization developing tools and resources to support the Buddhist community. Locally, we organize Buddhist-themed book clubs, temple tours, meditation classes, and museum trips. As an official partner of the Buddhist Council of New York, we are also developing app-based resources like a Buddhist center finder and an integrated Buddhist dictionary. Aside from aiming to better connect the Buddhist community, we are especially committed to helping anyone exploring Buddhist teachings navigate their own spiritual path.

For the first time in (Buddhist) history, all traditions have the chance to encounter and interact with each other. Combining our extensive volunteering experiences with our technical expertise, Big Lotus aspires to build connections between groups and individuals from all Buddhist traditions.

Mission Statement

Jaala brings people of all Buddhist traditions together.

Team Bios

Robin Padilla, Ph.D. practices in the Ch’an (Zen) tradition of Dharma Drum Mountain. He minored in Buddhist Studies at Stony Brook University and also served as president of the Stony Brook Mindfulness and Buddhism Group. He has volunteered with many Buddhist communities including the Chan Meditation Center, Bodhi Monastery, Chuang Yen Monastery, the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, and the Dharma Drink Meetup. Robin enjoys reading way too many Buddhist books and also runs a Buddhist-inspired travel blog.

Andy Newcomb's projects have ranged from an engine for diagramming English sentences, to an internet search portal that triggers sweepstakes entries, to the back end design of a slot car track simulator. He has been engineering web applications for fifteen years and previously obtained two CS degrees from Columbia University. He wholeheartedly adopted Ch'an Buddhism in 2010. Andy volunteers at Dharma Drum Retreat Center and the Big Lotus Meetup.

Jody Chen is an experienced UX designer and front-end developer with nine years experience. She also manages products and projects at times. Currently, her product specialties are responsive sites and mobile apps. She graduated from Cornell University and attended her first 7-day retreat under Master Sheng Yen.

Gregg Hill is an artist, activist and entrepreneur with a passion for projects that promote social responsibility. Employing agile development and “Lean Start-up” methodology, Gregg has launched production and media businesses, while consulting several young companies toward growth. His most recent venture, Wavicle--a SaaS, enterprise game-based learning platform—successfully sold at the end of 2014. Gregg has extensive senior level experience in content aggregation and delivery, management, branding, media and technology. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, as President of Distribution AMC Networks, Gregg was a senior leader for national media properties such as Bravo, AMC, IFC, and WE TV. He is a graduate of Rider University and attended graduate studies at the University of Chicago. He practices in the Plum Village Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

How the software is used…

Jane: After a small introduction in a yoga class, Jane has developed an active interest in learning about more Buddhism, meditation, and mindfulness. Jane can use the app to find local practice centers, learn what each center offers, and choose an appropriate place to visit. Jane can also easily locate and explore sanghas in the many different traditions to discover what flavor of Buddhist teachings would resonate most for her.

Roberto: Roberto wants to learn more about Buddhism, explore other traditions, and connect with other Buddhists in his community. He is also interested in volunteering. Jaala keeps him informed on community actions, environmental causes and feeding the hungry, a passionate cause for him.

Ying-Li: Ying-Li likes to use Jaala to meet new folks and to join in on the flash and on-line meditations.

Emptiness Zen Center: Emptiness is a small, new Zendo looking to grow its community. Budgets are limited, but with Jaala they can easily load all of their vital information into the app and to connect with folks who may be looking for them. They can also easily use the app to locate local sanghas for community activity purposes. For example, community organizer user(s) can arrange events with multiple centers (e.g., Vesak celebration, community service programs, etc.).

Marketplace

Increasingly, people are having secular mindfulness training marketed to them; they need help and easier access to true places to learn. Buddhist centers need a way to show their openness to unaffiliated practitioners, learners, and others curious about Buddhism. For the new practitioner, there’s a great deal of confusion with different traditions, languages, and a seemingly unlimited number of centers. It can become overwhelming.

Opportunity

Jaala is a connector, informer, social-media conversation and central location for all things Buddhist.

Partnerships

The Third Heading Will Seal the Deal.

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